JP2012192658A - Printer and method for feeding paper - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve throughput when a plurality of print jobs are printed continuously.SOLUTION: A printer obtains and accumulates print job data including a print setting and print data; compares the print settings of the two print job data and determines that continuous paper feeding is possible if at least the size designation of a print media is the same; and among the two print job data determined to be possible for the continuous paper feeding, before the paper ejection of printing of first print job data which is obtained prior to the other in chronological order has been completed, the paper is continuously fed for printing of second print job data which is obtained after the first print job data to execute printing of the two print job data.

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer and a paper feeding method.

  Conventionally, a sub-scanning roller for transporting cut paper in the sub-scanning direction in order to change the position in the sub-scanning direction on the cut paper on which the colorant such as ink is fixed, and a stacking unit such as a paper feed cassette to the sub-scanning roller A printer having a paper feed roller for transporting cut paper is known. The sub-scanning rollers are provided on the upstream side and the downstream side of the fixing position of the color material, respectively. The paper feed roller is provided above the paper feed cassette and conveys the cut paper to the upstream side sub-scanning roller. When the cut sheet reaches the upstream side sub-scanning roller, the electric motor that rotates the paper feed roller is stopped until the cut sheet is discharged by the downstream side sub-scanning roller.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses a technique for driving the paper feed roller to follow the next cut sheet conveyed by the sub-scanning roller even during the period when the sub-scanning roller is rotating. As a result, the distance for transporting the next cut sheet to the position where the color material is fixed after the cut sheet is discharged by the downstream sub-scanning roller can be shortened, so the time required for printing a plurality of pages can be shortened. be able to. In this way, feeding a cut sheet of the next page during printing of one page is referred to as continuous feeding.

JP 2008-44313 A

By the way, in the PDL (Page Description Language) printing function (PCL (Printer Control Language), ESC / Page, PS (Post Script), etc.) and ESC / PR printing function, all pages included in one print job are the same. Due to the restriction of printing in the color mode, in business printers, conventionally, in a print job in which color / monochrome pages are mixed, all pages are printed as color printing and charged as color printing. . However, since color printing is more expensive than monochrome printing, it is difficult to convince users to charge for monochrome printing up to monochrome pages. One possible solution is to divide the print job into color pages and monochrome pages. However, when the print jobs are different, there has been a problem that the time required for printing is longer than when printing as one print job because continuous feeding cannot be performed between print jobs.
An object of the present invention is to improve throughput when a plurality of print jobs are continuously printed.

  In order to solve the above problems, a printer of the present invention compares a print job data acquisition unit that acquires and stores print job data including print settings and print data, and compares the print settings of two print job data, and at least The continuous feed availability determination unit that determines that continuous feeding is possible when the print medium size designations match, and the two print job data that are determined to be capable of continuous feeding, in time-series order. Before the discharge of the printing of the first print job data acquired in the above is completed, the continuous paper feeding is performed to feed the second print job data acquired after the first print job data. Printing means for executing printing of the two print job data.

  In the present invention, the two print job data for which the print settings are compared means print job data acquired by the printer successively in time series. Specifically, the print job data includes print settings and print data, and the print settings are assumed to be acquired at least before the print data included in the print job data including the print settings. . Further, it is assumed that print settings of other print job data are not acquired between the print settings of the first print job data and the print settings of the second print job data. Similarly, it is assumed that print data of other print job data is not acquired between the print data of the first print job data and the print data of the second print job data. Also, the print settings of the second print job data are acquired after the print settings of the first print job data in chronological order, and the print data of the second print job data is acquired in chronological order of the print data of the second print job data. It is assumed that it will be acquired later.

  According to the present invention, when there is a common print setting between print jobs and at least the print medium size designation matches, continuous paper feeding is performed between print jobs. As a result, the total printing time required for printing a plurality of print jobs can be shortened compared to the conventional configuration and the throughput can be improved. Note that the conditions under which continuous feeding can be performed between two print jobs differ depending on the specifications of the printer, in particular the transport unit, but in the present invention, at least the print media size designation is the same. .

  Note that the function of each means described in the claims is realized by hardware resources whose function is specified by the configuration itself, hardware resources whose function is specified by a program, or a combination thereof. The functions of these means are not limited to those realized by hardware resources that are physically independent of each other. Furthermore, the present invention can be realized as a method, a computer program, and a recording medium for the program. Of course, the recording medium for the computer program may be a magnetic recording medium, a magneto-optical recording medium, or any recording medium developed in the future.

1 is a block diagram showing a printer according to a first embodiment. 6 is a flowchart showing print processing according to the first embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the corresponding component in each figure, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

1. 1. First embodiment 1-1. Configuration FIG. 1 shows a printer 1 as an embodiment of the present invention. The printer 1 is a serial inkjet printer that forms an image by fixing ink as a colorant on a cut sheet as a printing medium. Accordingly, the printer 1 alternately repeats the conveyance of the cut sheet in the sub-scanning direction and the image formation in the main scanning direction, the stacking unit 30 for stacking the cut sheet P, and the stacking of the cut sheet P. A conveyance unit 20 that is taken out from the unit 30 and conveyed to the image forming unit 10, a control unit 40 that controls the image forming unit 10 and the conveyance unit 20, and an external interface (I / F) 50 are provided.

The stacking unit 30 includes a first cassette 31 and a second cassette 32 on which cut sheets are stacked. Each of the first cassette 31 and the second cassette 32 is configured by a member for holding a plurality of stacked cut sheets P.
The transport unit 20 includes relay rollers 21a and 21b, paper feed rollers 22 and 23, electric motors 26 and 24, motor drivers 45 and 46, a guide 25, and the like. The paper feed roller 22 is a roller for taking out the uppermost cut paper P from the first cassette 31 one by one. The paper feed roller 23 is a roller for taking out the uppermost cut sheet P from the second cassette 32 one by one. The relay rollers 21a and 21b are rollers that convey the cut paper P taken out from the first cassette 31 or the second cassette 32 by the paper feed rollers 22 and 23 to a position where the sub-scanning rollers 17c and 17d can hold the cut paper P. The electric motor 24 rotates the paper feed roller 23. The motor driver 46 is a circuit that drives the electric motor 24. The electric motor 26 rotates the paper feed roller 22, the relay roller 21 a, and the sub-scanning rollers 17 b and 17 d of the image forming unit 10. The guide 25 is a wall having a form for guiding the cut paper P conveyed by the relay rollers 21a and 21b and the paper feed rollers 22 and 23 to a position where the sub-scanning rollers 17c and 17d can be held. The motor driver 45 is a circuit that drives the electric motor 26.

  The image forming unit 10 includes a recording head 11, an ink tank 12, a carriage 13, a guide 14, an endless belt 15, an electric motor 16, a motor driver 47, sub-scanning rollers 17a, 17b, 17c, and 17d, an electric motor 26, a platen 19, and the like. Is done. The recording head 11 includes a known mechanism such as a piezo method or a thermal method, and discharges ink from a nozzle to fix the cut paper P supplied from the first cassette 31 or the second cassette 32. The ink tank 12 is a container that stores ink supplied to the recording head 11 by color. The carriage 13 is a support member that carries the ink tank 12 and the recording head 11 and reciprocates. The guide 14 is a rod-shaped member that guides the movement of the carriage 13 in the main scanning direction. The endless belt 15 is stretched over a pulley (not shown) and pulls the carriage 13. The electric motor 16 rotates a pulley around which an endless belt 15 is stretched. The motor driver 47 is a circuit that drives the electric motor 16. The sub-scanning rollers 17a, 17b, 17c, and 17d convey the cut paper P taken out from the first cassette 31 or the second cassette 32 and conveyed by the relay rollers 21a and 21b in the sub-scanning direction. The platen 19 is a bar-like member that is provided directly below the recording head 11 and positions the cut paper P with respect to the recording head 11.

  The control unit 40 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a main memory, a nonvolatile memory, an interface circuit, and the like (not shown). The non-volatile memory stores a control program for controlling the image forming unit 10 and the conveyance unit 20. The CPU is a processor that executes a control program loaded into the main memory. The external I / F 50 is an interface for communicating with a host device (not shown). For example, it is an interface for communicating via USB or wireless LAN.

  The control unit 40 acquires print job data from an external device via the external I / F 50 and stores it in the main memory or the non-volatile memory. In this case, the external I / F 50 and the control unit 40 function as a print job data acquisition unit. Further, the control unit 40 functions as a continuous paper feed availability determination unit that determines whether continuous paper feed is possible between print jobs indicated by the acquired print job data. In addition, when it is determined that continuous feeding can be performed between print jobs, the control unit 40 and the conveyance unit 20 feed the second print job before completing the discharge of the first print job. It functions as a printing unit that performs printing by performing continuous paper feeding.

1-2. Paper Feeding Method FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of printing processing. FIG. 2 shows processing in the printer 1 when two print job data are continuously transmitted from the host device. First, the control unit 40 acquires print job data via the external I / F 50 and stores it in the memory (S100). The print job data includes print settings and print data. The print settings include settings such as paper size (A4, B5, etc.), paper type (plain paper, matte paper, glossy paper, etc.), print quality (print resolution, etc.), and color mode (color / monochrome). ing. The print data includes drawing data corresponding to the print page. The print setting is transmitted from the host device at least before the print data. Of the print job data sent continuously, the print setting of the first print job data (first print job data) is set before the print setting of the second print job data (second print job data). Sent. The print data of the first print job data is transmitted before the print data of the second print job data. Note that the print settings for the second print job data may be transmitted before the print data for the first print job data. Therefore, the data transmitted from the host device is transmitted in the order of the print setting of the first print job data, the print data of the first print job data, the print setting of the second print job data, and the print data of the second print job data. In some cases, data is sent from the host device in the order of print settings for the first print job data, print settings for the second print job data, print data for the first print job data, and print data for the second print job data. It is assumed that this is sometimes the case. Even when three or more print job data are continuously transmitted, if attention is paid to two consecutive print job data, the data is transmitted from the host device in any order of the above two patterns.

  Subsequently, the control unit 40 analyzes the first print job data (S105), and starts printing the print data of the first print job data according to the contents of the print settings (S110). For example, the print medium loaded in the first cassette 31 is A4 size plain paper, the print medium loaded in the second cassette 32 is B5 size plain paper, and printing included in the first print job data When A4 size plain paper is designated as the print medium in the setting, the control unit 40 rotates the paper feed roller 22 and the relay roller 21a by a predetermined angle by the electric motor 26, and the cut paper loaded in the first cassette 31. P is conveyed to the image forming unit 10. The image forming unit 10 drives the electric motor 26 to eject the ink from the recording head 11 while conveying the cut paper P in the sub-scanning direction, and forms drawing data of the first print job data on the cut paper P.

Subsequently, the control unit 40 analyzes the second print job data, and acquires the contents of the print settings of the second print job data (S115). Subsequently, the control unit 40 compares the print settings of the first print job data and the print settings of the second print job data, and determines whether there is a print setting common to the two print jobs (continuous paper feeding is possible). (S120). In this embodiment, if the paper size, paper type, and print quality are the same in the two print jobs, it is determined that continuous paper feeding is possible. Note that the order of S110 and S115 may be reversed.
If the discharge of the first print job data has already been completed when the control unit 40 performs the determination in S120, the control unit 40 determines that continuous paper feeding is not possible, and will be described later. Execute the process.

  When it is determined that there is a print setting common to the two print job data and continuous feeding is possible, the control unit 40 prints the second print job data by continuous feeding (S125). That is, the control unit 40 determines whether the first print job data is discharged before the first print job data is discharged (if the first print job data includes print data for a plurality of pages or a plurality of prints are designated, the last print Before the paper discharge is completed), the transport unit 20 is caused to feed paper for the second print job data. More specifically, the motor 26 is driven and the sub-scanning rollers 17b and 17d are rotated so that the cut paper P corresponding to the printing of the first print job data is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction to form an image. Also, the sheet feeding roller 22 and the relay roller 21a of the first cassette 31 are rotated to convey the next cut sheet P so as to follow the previous cut sheet P. As a result, immediately after the printing of the first print job data is completed, the cut sheet P for printing the second print job data can be conveyed to the image forming unit 10 to form an image.

  If it is determined in S120 that continuous feeding is not possible between the two print jobs, the control unit 40 does not perform continuous feeding, and the second print job data is output after the discharge of the first print job data is completed. Printing is performed by feeding paper for printing the print job data (S130). It is determined that continuous feeding is not possible between two print jobs when any one of the above-described paper size, paper type, and print quality is different. Whether or not the paper discharge is completed can be detected by a known method. For example, the control unit 30 detects from the output of the paper detection sensor provided in the vicinity of the platen 19, the rotation speed of the sub-scanning rollers 17b and 17d, and the like. can do.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when common print settings exist between print jobs, continuous feeding can be performed between print jobs. As a result, when printing is performed by continuously acquiring a plurality of print job data, the total printing time required for printing the plurality of print jobs can be shortened, and the throughput can be improved.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, for example, even if the color mode is different between print jobs, two print job data can be printed by continuous feeding as long as the above-described print setting is satisfied. In addition, the total printing time required for printing two print jobs can be shortened, and when applied to a business printer, it is easy to charge appropriately according to the color mode for each page.

2. Other Embodiments The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, it is determined that continuous paper feeding is possible when the paper size, paper type, and print quality are the same. However, the condition for enabling continuous paper feeding depends on the specification of the transport unit 20 of the printer. Dependent. Therefore, it may be determined that continuous feeding is possible at least if the paper sizes are common. In addition to the paper size, the paper type, and the print quality, it may be included in the condition for determining that continuous feeding is possible that other print settings are common. For example, in the cassette, the cut paper P is oriented in either the vertical or horizontal direction (when the conveyance direction and the long side of the printing medium are stacked in parallel, the vertical direction, and when the short sheet is stacked in parallel, the horizontal direction is referred to as horizontal. In the case of a printer that can be stacked, it may be included in the condition that the designation of the orientation of the print medium is the same.

  Further, for example, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to a serial type ink jet printer has been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to a line printer or a page printer using toner as a colorant.

  1: printer, 10: image forming unit, 11: recording head, 12: ink tank, 13: carriage, 14: guide, 15: endless belt, 16: electric motor, 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d: sub-scanning roller, 19 : Platen, 20: Conveying section, 21a, 21b: Relay roller, 22, 23: Feed roller, 24: Electric motor, 25: Guide, 26: Electric motor, 30: Loading section, 31: First cassette, 32: Second Cassette, 40: control unit, 45, 46, 47: motor driver, 50: external I / F, P: cut paper

Claims (2)

Print job data acquisition means for acquiring and storing print job data including print settings and print data;
A continuous paper feed determination unit that compares the print settings of two print job data and determines that continuous paper feed is possible when at least the print medium size designations match;
Acquired after the first print job data before the discharge of printing of the first print job data acquired in chronological order first among the two print job data determined to be capable of continuous feeding is completed. Printing means for performing the feeding of the two print job data by performing the continuous feeding for feeding paper for printing the second print job data,
Printer with. A print job data acquisition process for acquiring and storing print job data including print settings and print data;
Comparing the print settings of the two print job data, and determining whether or not continuous paper feed is possible if at least the print media size designations match;
Acquired after the first print job data before the discharge of printing of the first print job data acquired in chronological order first among the two print job data determined to be capable of continuous feeding is completed. A printing step for performing the feeding of the two print job data by performing the continuous feeding for feeding the paper for printing the second print job data;
Including paper feeding method.

Images