JP2012025074A - Recording apparatus and recording method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recording apparatus and a recording method which can suppress the execution of a recording operation in a state that a conveying failure occurs in a recording medium which becomes a single form by cutting.SOLUTION: A printer 11 includes: a conveying device 14 for conveying a sheet S from an upstream side to a downstream side in a conveying direction X along a conveying path TR; a cutter 41 for cutting a part of a tip side of the long sheet S which is in the downstream side in the conveying direction X being a longitudinal direction to form a single form cut sheet CS in a cutting position Pc on the conveying path TR; a print head 45 for applying recording to the cut sheet CS in a recording position Pd located at the downstream side of the cutting position Pc in the conveying direction X; a paper detection sensor 46 for detecting the presence or absence of the sheet S in a detection position Ps located at the downstream side of the recording position Pd in the conveying direction X; and a computer for controlling the print head 45 based on a detection result of the paper detection sensor 46.

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and a recording method.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printer, which is a type of recording apparatus, has a space (margin) in the longitudinal direction of a sheet with respect to the surface of a long recording medium (for example, a roll sheet on which photographic sheets are wound). Some print a plurality of images and print a photo of a predetermined print size by cutting the roll paper at the margin (for example, Patent Document 1).

  The printer of Patent Document 1 includes a print unit that performs surface printing by an inkjet method, a cutter unit that cuts paper, and a back surface printing unit that performs back surface printing by a dot impact method. Then, after a sheet having a photo print on the front surface is cut by a cutter unit to form a cut sheet of a predetermined print size, a serial number or the like is printed on the back side.

JP 2009-34930 A

  By the way, when performing surface printing with the print unit, the leading edge detection sensor disposed upstream of the printing unit in the transport direction detects the leading edge of the paper and starts printing after performing cueing by a predetermined amount of paper feeding. It was common to do.

  However, when printing is performed with the back side printing unit, the paper is cut in the previous process, so that the conveyance is delayed due to a cutting failure or the like, and the paper rolls up along with the cutting. Sometimes clogging occurred. For this reason, even if paper is detected on the upstream side of the back printing unit and paper is fed for cueing, a conveyance failure may occur due to cutting of the paper.

  When the back side printing unit performs a printing operation in a state where the sheet is not conveyed due to conveyance failure, the ink ribbon is pressed against the platen, and the platen and the sheet conveyed thereafter are contaminated. There was a problem. Such a problem is not limited to back side printing or dot impact printing (recording), but is common in the case of recording on a sheet cut into a single sheet.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to suppress a recording operation from being performed in a state in which a conveyance failure of a recording medium formed as a single sheet has occurred due to cutting. It is an object to provide a recording apparatus and a recording method that can be used.

  In order to achieve the above object, the recording apparatus of the present invention includes a transport unit that transports a recording medium from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction along the transport path, and the transport direction at the cutting position on the transport path. Cutting means for cutting a part of the leading end side, which is the downstream side in the transport direction, in the long recording medium in the longitudinal direction to form a single-sheet recording medium, and downstream from the cutting position in the transport direction Recording means for recording on the recording medium in the form of a single sheet at a recording position on the side, and recording for detecting the presence or absence of the recording medium at a detection position downstream of the recording position in the transport direction Medium detection means, and control means for controlling the recording means based on the detection result of the recording medium detection means.

  According to this configuration, when a conveyance failure occurs due to the cutting of the recording medium, the recording medium does not reach the detection position, and the recording medium detection unit does not detect the recording medium. Therefore, recording is performed based on the detection result of the recording medium detection unit. A conveyance failure of the medium can be detected. In addition, since the recording position is located upstream in the transport direction from the detection position, when it is detected that the recording medium is present at the detection position, recording can be performed on the recording medium without blanking. . Therefore, it is possible to suppress the recording operation from being performed in a state where the conveyance failure of the recording medium that is a single sheet is generated by cutting.

  In the recording apparatus of the present invention, the recording medium detection unit detects the recording medium that has become the single sheet after the cutting unit performs cutting, and the control unit detects the detection by the recording medium detection unit. When it is detected that the recording medium is at a position, the recording unit starts recording.

  According to this configuration, since the recording medium detection unit performs detection after the cutting unit performs cutting, the control unit starts recording upon detection of the recording medium regardless of the length of the cut sheet in the transport direction. Can be made. For example, in the transport direction, when the length of a single sheet is equal to or longer than the separation distance between the cutting position and the detection position, the recording medium can be detected by the recording medium detection means even before cutting. However, when the length of a single sheet is shorter than the separation distance between the cutting position and the detection position, the recording medium that has become a single sheet is not detected by the recording medium detection unit when the recording medium is cut. Therefore, if the recording medium that has become a single sheet after the cutting means is detected, the recording means can start recording by the same control regardless of the length of the single sheet.

  The recording device according to the present invention is configured so that, in the transport direction, the control unit is configured so that a length along the transport direction of the recording medium that is the cut sheet is shorter than a separation distance between the cutting position and the detection position. When the transport amount of the recording medium that has become the single sheet is equal to or greater than the difference between the separation distance and the length of the single sheet, the detection position is determined based on the detection result of the recording medium detection unit. It is determined whether there is a recording medium.

  According to this configuration, if the recording medium is not detected even if the conveyance amount of the recording medium that has become a single sheet exceeds the difference between the separation distance and the length of the single sheet, it is determined that a conveyance failure has occurred. Thus, the recording operation of the recording means can be stopped. Therefore, even when the length of a single sheet is shorter than the separation distance between the cutting position and the detection position in the transport direction, it is possible to suppress the recording operation from being performed in a state where the transport failure of the recording medium has occurred. .

  In the recording apparatus of the present invention, the recording medium that has become the cut sheet is provided with a blank area on the front end side and a recording area on which recording is performed on the rear end side. The distance from the recording position to the detection position in the transport direction is arranged to be shorter than the length of the blank area.

  According to this configuration, since the distance from the recording position to the detection position is shorter than the length of the blank area, after the recording medium is detected at the detection position, recording is started at the recording position spaced upstream from the detection position. However, recording can be performed from the front end side of the recording area.

  In order to achieve the above object, the recording method of the present invention is a part of the leading end side which is the downstream side of the transport direction in a long recording medium whose transport direction is the longitudinal direction at the cutting position on the transport path. Cutting the sheet into a single sheet recording medium, a conveying step for conveying the recording medium that has become the single sheet in the conveying direction along the conveying path, and the presence or absence of the recording medium in the conveying direction. A detection step of detecting at a detection position downstream of the cutting position, and when the detection step detects that the recording medium is present, between the cutting position and the detection position in the transport direction A recording step of recording on the recording medium that has become the single sheet at the recording position.

  According to this configuration, when a conveyance failure occurs along with the cutting step, the recording medium does not reach the detection position, and the recording medium is not detected at the detection step. Therefore, based on the detection result at the detection step, A conveyance failure can be detected. In addition, since the recording position is located upstream from the detection position, if it is detected in the detection step that the recording medium is present, recording is performed on the recording medium without blanking in the recording step. be able to. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the recording operation from being performed in a state where the conveyance failure of the recording medium that is a single sheet is generated by cutting.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of the printer according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the printer according to the embodiment. The flowchart which shows a recording process routine. (A) is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the back surface printing with respect to a short cut sheet, (b) is a back view of the cut sheet in (a). (A) is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the back surface printing with respect to a long cut sheet, (b) is a back view of the cut sheet in (a).

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in an ink jet printer (hereinafter referred to as “printer”) which is a kind of recording apparatus will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 11 includes a main body case 12, a holding unit 13 that holds a sheet S as a long recording medium in the form of a roll paper RS that is rolled up, and a paper discharge unit 12 a. And a control device 100 (see FIG. 2). The main body case 12 is provided with an operation panel PN. The operation panel PN includes buttons for a user to perform various operations, and a liquid crystal screen on which operation statuses and operation results are displayed.

  In the main body case 12, the printer 11 extends from the upstream side in the transport direction X along the transport path TR (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1) extending the sheet S from the holding unit 13 toward the paper discharge unit 12 a. A transport device 14 is provided as transport means for transporting downstream. Further, in the main body case 12, along the transport path TR of the sheet S, the first printing unit 15 of the ink jet method, the cutting unit 16, the second printing unit 17 of the dot impact method, the drying device 18, A curl correction unit 19 that constitutes a part of the transport device 14 is provided.

  The sheet S is subjected to a printing (recording) process on the surface in the first printing unit 15, and a portion on which the surface is printed is cut by the cutting unit 16. A portion on the leading end side of the cut sheet S is a cut sheet CS (single sheet recording medium), and after the second printing unit 17 performs printing (recording) processing on the back surface, the paper discharge unit 12a. The paper is discharged.

Next, the transport device 14 will be described.
The conveyance device 14 includes a plurality of conveyance roller pairs 20 (20A, 20B, 20C, and 20D) that convey the sheet S in the conveyance direction X, a conveyance motor 21 (see FIG. 2), a conveyance path forming member 22, and the like. It has. Each transport roller pair 20 (20A, 20B, 20C, 20D) has a drive roller 24 disposed on one side (lower side in FIG. 1) across the transport path TR and the other side of the transport path TR (FIG. 1). In this case, a driven roller 25 is provided on the upper side.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the output shaft of the transport motor 21 is provided with a rotary encoder 26 for detecting the rotation speed, rotation position, and rotation direction of the output shaft, and a power transmission switching device 27. The power transmission switching device 27 is configured to connect the power transmission path of the transport motor 21 to a predetermined connection destination.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the transport roller pair 20 </ b> A is disposed between the holding unit 13 and the first printing unit 15. Further, the transport roller pair 20 </ b> B is disposed between the cutting unit 16 and the second printing unit 17. Further, the conveyance roller pair 20 </ b> C is disposed between the second printing unit 17 and the drying device 18. Further, the conveyance roller pair 20 </ b> D is disposed between the drying device 18 and the curl correction unit 19.

Next, the first printing unit 15 will be described.
The first printing unit 15 is supported by the leading end detection sensor 30 disposed on the other side (the upper side in FIG. 1) of the transport path TR, the guide shaft 31, the carriage 32 supported by the guide shaft 31, and the carriage 32. The ejection head 33 is provided. Further, the first printing unit 15 includes a support member 34 disposed on one side (lower side in FIG. 1) across the transport path TR.

  The guide shaft 31 is installed on the main body case 12 so as to extend along the main scanning direction Y (width direction of the sheet S) intersecting (substantially orthogonal) with the transport direction X. The carriage 32 is reciprocated along the main scanning direction Y while being guided by the guide shaft 31.

  The support member 34 is configured to support the sheet S conveyed by a support portion 35 provided on the upper surface side. A plurality of suction holes (not shown) are formed on the upper surface side of the support member 34, and a suction mechanism 36 for sucking the sheet S through the suction holes is built in the support member 34.

  The ejection head 33 is provided with a plurality of nozzles 37 that eject ink as liquid. Then, ink is ejected from the nozzles 37 of the ejection head 33 onto the surface (upper surface in FIG. 1) of the sheet S supported by the support member 34, so that surface printing is performed. In the present embodiment, high-quality images such as photographic images are formed as surface printing.

  The tip detection sensor 30 is a reflective optical sensor electrically connected to the control device 100, and includes a light source unit and a light receiving unit (not shown). In the tip detection sensor 30, the light receiving unit receives reflected light of light emitted downward from the light source unit, and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of the reflected light to the control device 100. Specifically, the leading edge detection sensor 30 outputs an ON value that is greater than a predetermined threshold when the sheet S is a reflection target, and is equal to or less than the threshold when the sheet S is not a reflection target. Output OFF value. Therefore, the leading edge of the sheet S in the transport direction X is detected by changing the output value of the leading edge detection sensor 30 from the OFF value to the ON value.

  In the first printing unit 15, when the leading edge detection sensor 30 detects the leading edge of the sheet S, the transport device 14 feeds a predetermined amount of paper to perform cueing, and then starts surface printing. . In front-side printing, a strip-like image having the main scanning direction Y as the longitudinal direction is formed every time the carriage 32 is scanned. The sheet S is intermittently conveyed by the conveying device 14 from the start of the surface printing until the leading end side is cut. The front surface printing is performed between the intermittent conveyances of the sheet S by the conveyance device 14, that is, in a state where the sheet S is stopped.

Next, the cutting unit 16 will be described.
The cutting unit 16 includes a support base 40 disposed on one side (lower side in FIG. 1) across the transport path TR, and a cutter as cutting means disposed on the other side (upper side in FIG. 1) of the transport path TR. 41 and a cutter motor 42 (see FIG. 2). The cutter 41 is disposed at a cutting position Pc on the transport path TR. Then, the cutter 41 moves along the main scanning direction Y by driving the cutter motor 42, thereby cutting the sheet S at the cutting position Pc. Then, the long sheet S in which the transport direction X is the longitudinal direction is cut when a part on the front end side subjected to surface printing on the downstream side in the transport direction X is cut. A cut sheet CS (recording medium) of a single sheet is obtained.

  The cutting of the sheet S is performed in a state in which the conveyance of the sheet S by the conveyance device 14 is stopped and the upstream side is held by the suction mechanism 36 of the support member 34 while the downstream side is held by the conveyance roller pair 20B. In the present embodiment, the sheet S is cut in accordance with the stop timing for performing surface printing on the portion upstream of the cutting position Pc. The cut sheet CS that has been cut is transferred from the conveyance roller pair 20B to the conveyance roller pair 20C and is continuously conveyed without being stopped toward the downstream side.

Next, the second printing unit 17 will be described.
The second printing unit 17 is impregnated with a print head 45 as a recording unit, a paper detection sensor 46 as a recording medium detection unit, a rotating roller 47, and ink on one side (downward in FIG. 1) of the transport path TR. And an endless ink ribbon 48. The second printing unit 17 includes a platen 49 disposed on the other side (the upper side in FIG. 1) of the print head 45 across the transport path TR.

  The ink ribbon 48 is conveyed between the print head 45 and the platen 49 by the rotation of the rotary roller 47. Then, the print head 45 is protruded at the recording position Pd and the ink ribbon 48 is pressed against the back surface of the cut sheet CS conveyed by the conveying device 14 so that the serial number is printed (recorded). It has become. Note that the recording position Pd is disposed downstream of the cutting position Pc in the transport direction X.

  The paper detection sensor 46 is a reflective optical sensor electrically connected to the control device 100, and has a light source unit and a light receiving unit (not shown). Further, the paper detection sensor 46 receives the reflected light of the light emitted upward from the light source unit at the detection position Ps that is downstream of the recording position Pd in the transport direction X, and the reflected light An electric signal corresponding to the strength is output to the control device 100. Specifically, the paper detection sensor 46 outputs an ON value larger than a predetermined threshold when the sheet S (cut sheet CS) is a reflection target. In the second printing unit 17, the presence or absence of the sheet S is detected by the paper detection sensor 46, and the back side printing is started after the cutting unit 16 cuts the sheet S.

Next, the drying device 18 will be described.
The drying device 18 includes a heater 50, a blower fan 51, and a fan motor 52 (see FIG. 2), and is disposed on one surface side (upper side in FIG. 1) of the transport path forming member 22. And the drying of the ink adhering to the surface of the cut sheet CS is accelerated | stimulated because the ventilation fan 51 blows the air heated by the heater 50 toward the surface side of the cut sheet CS.

Next, the curl correction unit 19 will be described.
The curl correction unit 19 includes conveyance rollers 55 and 56 that are rotated in accordance with driving of the conveyance motor 21 and a decurling roller 57. The decurling roller 57 sandwiches the cut sheet CS with the transport roller 56 and bends the cut sheet CS with the transport roller 55, thereby correcting curling of the cut sheet CS (decal). To do).

Next, the electrical configuration of the printer 11 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 100 of the printer 11 includes an interface IF, and operation information related to the operation result of the operation panel PN by the user is input via the interface IF. The printer 11 can transmit and receive various types of information such as print data to and from a host device (not shown) via the interface IF.

  The control device 100 includes a computer 101 as control means, head drive circuits 102 and 103, motor drive circuits 104, 105, and 106, and a heater drive circuit 107. The computer 101 is electrically connected to the head drive circuits 102 and 103, the motor drive circuits 104, 105 and 106, and the heater drive circuit 107 via the bus 108.

  The computer 101 includes an ASIC 109 (Application Specific IC), a CPU 110, a ROM 111, a RAM 112, and a nonvolatile memory 113. The ROM 111 stores various control programs and various data. The nonvolatile memory 113 stores various programs including a firmware program and various data necessary for print processing. The RAM 112 temporarily stores program data executed by the CPU 110, various data that are calculation results and processing results by the CPU 110, various data processed by the ASIC 109, and the like.

  The computer 101 performs various controls by the CPU 110 executing a program stored in the ROM 111 or the like. For example, the computer 101 controls the ejection head 33 via the head drive circuit 102 and also controls the print head 45 via the head drive circuit 103. The computer 101 controls the transport motor 21, the cutter motor 42, and the fan motor 52 through the motor drive circuits 105, 104, and 106, respectively, and controls the heater 50 through the heater drive circuit. The computer 101 controls the driving of the transport motor 21 based on the detection signal from the rotary encoder 26.

Next, a recording process in the printer 11 will be described.
In the printer 11, the first printing unit 15 prints a plurality of images while leaving an interval (blank) in the longitudinal direction (conveying direction X) of the sheet S with respect to the surface of the long sheet S, and a blank portion. Then, the front end side of the sheet S is sequentially cut to perform photo printing with a predetermined print size.

  By the way, in the printer 11, the sheet S may not be cut well, or the cut sheet CS may be wound due to the cutting, and paper jam may occur. If backside printing is performed in a state where such a conveyance failure has occurred, idle printing occurs, and the ink ribbon 48 is pressed against the platen 49, and the platen 49 and the sheet S conveyed thereafter may be contaminated. There is. For this reason, in the printer 11, after the sheet detection sensor 46 confirms that the sheet S has been conveyed to the detection position Ps and the recording position Pd, the back side printing is started.

Next, a recording processing routine executed by the computer 101 will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG.
First, in step S11, the computer 101 executes printing on the surface of the long sheet S, and proceeds to step S12.

  In step S12, the computer 101 causes the cutter 41 to remove a part on the leading end side that is the downstream side in the transport direction X of the long sheet S in which the transport direction X is the longitudinal direction at the cutting position Pc on the transport path TR. Cut (cutting step).

  In step S13, the computer 101 determines whether cutting of the sheet S has been completed. If the cutting of the sheet S has not been completed, the same determination is repeated. If the cutting of the sheet S has been completed, the process proceeds to step S14.

In step S14, the computer 101 causes the transport device 14 to start transporting the cut sheet CS formed as a cut sheet along the transport path TR (transport step), and the process proceeds to step S15.
In step S15, the computer 101 determines whether or not the transport amount L of the cut sheet CS is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value La. When the transport amount L of the cut sheet CS is less than the threshold value La, the same determination is repeated. On the other hand, when the transport amount L of the cut sheet CS is greater than or equal to the threshold value La, the process proceeds to step S16. The threshold value La can be defined in advance based on experiments and the like as a conveyance amount for determining that the cut sheet CS has reached the position to start the back surface printing, and can be stored in the ROM 111 or the like.

  In step S <b> 16, the computer 101 determines the presence or absence of the sheet S at the detection position Ps based on the output signal of the paper detection sensor 46. That is, the paper detection sensor 46 detects the cut sheet CS that has become a single sheet after the cutting unit 16 cuts (detection step). The computer 101 proceeds to step S17 when the paper detection sensor 46 outputs an ON value indicating that the sheet S is present, whereas the computer 101 proceeds to step S18 when the paper detection sensor 46 does not output an ON value. Proceed to

  In step S <b> 17, when the computer 101 causes the second printing unit 17 to perform back side printing and printing is performed on the back side of the cut sheet CS (recording step), the process ends. That is, since the detection position Ps is downstream of the recording position Pd in the transport direction X, if the sheet S is detected in step S16, it can be said that the sheet S is reliably transported to the recording position Pd. Therefore, when the computer 101 controls the second printing unit 17 based on the detection result of the paper detection sensor 46 and the paper detection sensor 46 detects that the cut sheet CS is present at the detection position Ps, the computer 101 controls the second printing unit 17. The second printing unit 17 starts recording. Thereby, the back side printing is performed without blanking.

  On the other hand, in step S18, the computer 101 displays an error through the operation panel PN or the like. Here, as shown in FIG. 4A, the separation distance between the cutting position Pc and the detection position Ps is Ld, the shortest length along the conveyance direction X of the cut sheet CS is Lp (min), Lp (min) < It is assumed that Ld, Ld−Lp (min) = Lb. Then, when the sheet S is cut, the leading edge of the cut sheet CS (indicated by a dotted line in the figure) does not reach the detection position Ps and is not detected by the paper detection sensor 46. Further, if the sheet S is cut and then conveyed by the conveyance distance Lb, the cut sheet CS should reach the detection position Ps. Therefore, when the cut sheet CS is not detected in step S16, it is considered that a conveyance failure (paper jam) has occurred. Therefore, in step S18, the user is notified that a conveyance failure has occurred by error notification.

  Note that the threshold value La used in the determination in step S15 is preferably Ld> La ≧ Lb. As a result, when Lp <Ld, the computer 101 causes the sheet 101 to move when the transport amount L of the cut sheet CS becomes equal to or greater than the difference (Ld−Lp) between the separation distance Ld and the length Lp of the cut sheet CS. Based on the detection result of the detection sensor 46, it is determined whether or not there is a cut sheet CS at the detection position Ps. For example, if Ld = 94 mm and Lp (min) = 88.9 mm (3.5 inches), then Lb = Ld−Lp (min) = 5.1 mm. Therefore, as a value satisfying Ld> La ≧ Lb, for example, La = 8.8 mm can be set.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5A, when the length Lp of the cut sheet CS is Lp ≧ Ld, the leading edge of the sheet S (indicated by a dotted line in the figure) reaches the detection position Ps before cutting. Yes. Therefore, when Lp ≧ Ld, the sheet S before being cut can be detected by the paper detection sensor 46 first, and then the back side printing can be started when the sheet S is cut.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 4B and 5B, in the back side printing of the cut sheet CS, a margin area WS having a length Lw in the transport direction X is provided on the front end side, and the rear end. A recording area PA (a portion surrounded by an alternate long and two short dashes line in each figure) is set on the side. In FIG. 4B and FIG. 5B, the numbers printed in the recording area PA (reference number “1234”) are indicated by dotted lines.

  Accordingly, if the separation distance between the cutting position Pc and the recording position Pd is Le (see FIGS. 4A and 5A), the printing on the back surface can be performed regardless of the length of the cutting sheet CS. The distance from the rear end side starts from a position where Lc = Le−La. In the transport direction X, the distance Lf from the recording position Pd to the detection position Ps (see FIGS. 4A and 5A) is the length Lw of the blank area WS provided on the leading end side of the cut sheet CS. Is shorter. That is, the paper detection sensor 46 is disposed at a position where Lw> Lf> 0.

According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) When a conveyance failure occurs due to the cutting (cutting step) of the sheet S, the sheet S does not reach the detection position Ps, and the sheet detection sensor 46 (detection step) does not detect the sheet S. The conveyance failure of the sheet S can be detected based on the detection result of the detection step. Further, since the recording position Pd is located upstream of the detection position Ps in the transport direction X, when it is detected that the sheet S is present at the detection position Ps, the sheet S is not blanked at the recording step. Can be recorded. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the printing (recording) operation from being performed in a state where the conveyance failure of the cut sheet CS that is a single sheet is generated by cutting.

  (2) Since the sheet detection sensor 46 performs detection after the cutter 41 performs cutting, the computer 101 records the detection of the cut sheet CS (back surface) regardless of the length of the cut sheet CS in the transport direction X. Printing) can be started. For example, in the transport direction X, when the length Lp of the cut sheet CS is equal to or longer than the separation distance Ld between the cutting position Pc and the detection position Ps (Lp ≧ Ld), the sheet S is before cutting. Can also be detected by the paper detection sensor 46. However, when the length Lp of the cut sheet CS is shorter than the separation distance Ld between the cutting position Pc and the detection position Ps (Lp <Ld), the cut sheet CS that has become a single sheet when the sheet S is cut is a sheet. It is not detected by the detection sensor 46. Therefore, if the cut sheet CS that has become a single sheet after the cutter 41 is detected is detected, the backside printing can be started by the print head 45 with the same control regardless of the length of the cut sheet CS. .

  (3) If the cut sheet CS is not detected even if the transport amount L of the cut sheet CS that is a single sheet exceeds the difference between the separation distance Ld and the length Lp of the cut sheet CS, a transport failure occurs. Therefore, the recording operation of the print head 45 can be stopped. Therefore, even when the length Lp of the cut sheet CS is shorter than the separation distance Ld between the cutting position Pc and the detection position Ps in the transport direction X (Lp <Ld), printing is performed in a state where the transport failure of the cut sheet CS occurs. Execution of the (recording) operation can be suppressed.

  (4) Since the distance Lf from the recording position Pd to the detection position Ps is shorter than the length Lw of the margin area WS (Lw> Lf), the upstream side from the detection position Ps after the sheet S is detected at the detection position Ps. Even if the recording is started at the recording position Pd which is spaced apart from each other, recording (printing) can be performed from the leading end side of the recording area PA.

In addition, you may change the said embodiment as follows.
The cutting means may be of any shape, such as a cutting blade provided on both sides of the transport path TR. Also, the conveying means is not limited to the one that conveys the sheet S while being conveyed by a pair of conveying rollers, and any conveying method such as one that sucks and conveys the sheet S with a suction belt can be adopted.

The transport device 14 may additionally include a transport roller pair other than those described above, or may omit some of the components described above.
The transport path TR is illustrated in a planar shape (linear shape in side view), but is not limited thereto, and can be changed to any shape such as a curved surface shape (curved shape in side view).

  The printer 11 may not include the first printing unit 15, the drying device 18, and the curl correction unit 19. In this case, after the sheet S is cut into the cut sheet CS, the second printing unit 17 may perform surface printing on the cut sheet CS.

The cut sheet CS is not limited to a print size with a specified aspect ratio, and may be cut into a long shape having an arbitrary length, for example.
The means for notifying an error may be performed by an error sound or a blinking lamp.

  -Printing (recording) on the surface is not limited to photo printing, but can be changed to any recording such as label printing or printing on plain paper. Similarly, printing (recording) on the back surface can be changed to arbitrary recording.

  In the above embodiment, the ink jet method is adopted as a method for printing on the front surface of the recording apparatus and the dot impact method is adopted as a method for printing on the back surface. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a method for printing (recording) on the front surface or back surface. Any method such as an electrophotographic method or a thermal transfer method can be employed. Further, the recording apparatus is not limited to a printer, but may be a FAX apparatus, a copying apparatus, or a multifunction machine having a plurality of these functions. Further, as the recording apparatus, a liquid ejecting apparatus including a liquid ejecting head that ejects or ejects a small amount of liquid droplets other than ink may be employed. In addition, a droplet means the state of the liquid discharged from the said liquid ejecting apparatus, and shall also include what pulls a tail in granular shape, tear shape, and thread shape. The liquid here may be any material that can be ejected by the liquid ejecting apparatus. For example, it may be in a state in which the substance is in a liquid phase, such as a liquid with high or low viscosity, sol, gel water, other inorganic solvents, organic solvents, solutions, liquid resins, liquid metals (metal melts ) And a liquid as one state of a substance, as well as a material in which particles of a functional material made of a solid such as a pigment or metal particles are dissolved, dispersed or mixed in a solvent. Further, representative examples of the liquid include ink and liquid crystal as described in the above embodiment. Here, the ink includes general water-based inks and oil-based inks, and various liquid compositions such as gel inks and hot melt inks. As a specific example of the liquid ejecting apparatus, for example, a liquid containing a material such as an electrode material or a color material used for manufacturing a liquid crystal display, an EL (electroluminescence) display, a surface emitting display, a color filter, or the like in a dispersed or dissolved state. It may be a liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting, a liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting a bio-organic material used for biochip manufacturing, a liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting a liquid as a sample used as a precision pipette, a textile printing apparatus, a microdispenser, or the like. In this specification, “empty shot” means that a recording operation (for example, liquid ejection in a liquid ejecting apparatus) is performed in a state where a recording medium to be recorded is not conveyed to a recording position. Say.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Printer as recording apparatus, 14 ... Conveying apparatus as conveying means, 41 ... Cutter as cutting means, 45 ... Print head as recording means, 46 ... Paper detection sensor as recording medium detecting means, 101 ... Control means CS ... cut sheet as a single sheet recording medium, L ... conveyance amount, X ... conveyance direction, La ... threshold, Ld ... separation distance, Lf ... distance from recording position to detection position, Lp ... single sheet , Lw: length of margin area, Pc: cutting position, Pd: recording position, Ps: detection position, PA: recording area, S: sheet as recording medium, TR: transport path, WS: margin area.

Claims (5)

Conveying means for conveying the recording medium from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveying direction along the conveying path;
Cutting means that cuts a part of the front end side, which is the downstream side of the transport direction, of the long recording medium whose transport direction is the longitudinal direction at the cutting position on the transport path to form a single sheet recording medium When,
Recording means for recording on the recording medium that has become the cut sheet at a recording position downstream of the cutting position in the transport direction;
Recording medium detection means for detecting the presence or absence of the recording medium at a detection position downstream of the recording position in the transport direction;
And a control unit that controls the recording unit based on a detection result of the recording medium detection unit. The recording medium detection means detects the recording medium that has become the single sheet after the cutting means has cut,
The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the recording unit to start recording when the recording medium detecting unit detects that the recording medium is present at the detection position. In the transport direction, when the length along the transport direction of the recording medium that has become the single sheet is shorter than the separation distance between the cutting position and the detection position,
The control means detects the detection based on the detection result of the recording medium detection means when the transport amount of the recording medium that has become the single sheet is equal to or greater than the difference between the separation distance and the length of the single sheet. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it is determined whether or not the recording medium is at a position. The recording medium that has become the cut sheet is provided with a blank area on the front end side and a recording area on which recording is performed on the rear end side.
The said recording medium detection means is arrange | positioned so that the distance from the said recording position to the said detection position may become shorter than the length of the said margin area | region in the said conveyance direction. The recording device according to any one of the above. A cutting step of cutting a part of the leading end side, which is the downstream side of the transport direction, in a long recording medium whose transport direction is the longitudinal direction at a cutting position on the transport path to form a single-sheet recording medium;
A transport step of transporting the recording medium that has become the single sheet in the transport direction along the transport path;
A detection step of detecting the presence or absence of the recording medium at a detection position downstream of the cutting position in the transport direction;
When it is detected in the detection step that the recording medium is present, recording is performed on the recording medium that has become a single sheet at a recording position that is between the cutting position and the detection position in the transport direction. And a recording step.

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