JP2013031953A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus that can use recording medium of a fixed form, and reduce visual effects on each image due to the deviation of dividing positions when a plurality of images are formed and divided into separate images.SOLUTION: A printing system 11 includes: an image data acquisition means for acquiring image data corresponding to two images; an image correction means for correcting two pieces of image data corresponding to each of the images so that the continuation of visual features is formed in a boundary between the two images formed adjacent to each other in a width direction relative to a roll paper RP of a fixed form based on the each image data acquired; an imaging pairing means for paring the two pieces of image data corresponding to each of the images having a similarity in visual features in the boundary of the each image; a recording head 45 for forming each of the images on the roll paper RP based on the each image data corrected and paired; and a second division mechanism for dividing the roll paper RP on which each of the images is formed, into each image.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an ink jet printer.

  In general, an ink jet printer is widely known as an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium (paper or the like). Among such printers, there is a printer that forms a plurality of images side by side in the width direction of a sheet to be conveyed and then divides the sheet into images (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-15886

  By the way, in the case of using a standard paper in the printer of Patent Document 1, if a margin is formed between images, depending on the size of each image, it may be necessary to reduce each image by the margin. . For this reason, if each image is formed adjacent to the paper so as to have a full width without forming a margin, another image adjacent to the divided image is generated due to a division error when dividing the paper into images. There is a problem that a visual influence occurs.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems existing in the prior art. The purpose is to use a regular recording medium, and to reduce the visual influence on each image due to the shift of the dividing position when a plurality of images are formed on the recording medium and divided for each image. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can perform the above-described process.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image data acquisition unit that acquires image data corresponding to a plurality of images, and a conveyance unit based on the image data acquired by the image data acquisition unit. Visual features at the boundary between the two adjacent images in a plurality of adjacent images formed in a plurality of images formed so as to be adjacent to the regular recording medium conveyed by the means in the width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction Image correction means capable of performing correction processing for correcting at least one of the two image data corresponding to the two images so that continuity is formed, and for each of the two images, Performing pairing processing for pairing two image data corresponding to the two images having similar visual characteristics at the boundary between the two images Capable image pairing means, image forming means for forming each image on the recording medium based on each image data subjected to at least one of the correction process and the pairing process, A dividing unit that divides the recording medium on which the images are formed by the image forming unit for each image.

  According to the present invention, at least one of the correction process and the pairing process is performed at each boundary between two adjacent images in a plurality of images formed so as to be adjacent to the regular recording medium in the width direction. Processing is performed. For this reason, a regular recording medium can be used, and it is possible to reduce the visual influence on each image due to a shift in the dividing position when a plurality of images are formed on the recording medium and divided for each image. Become.

  The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a first mode in which the correction process is performed on the image data, a second mode in which the pairing process is performed on the image data, and the image data on the image data. Selection means capable of selecting one of the third modes in which both the correction process and the pairing process are performed is provided.

  According to the present invention, the user can select one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode by the selection means according to his / her convenience, thereby giving priority to the image quality or the processing speed of the apparatus. It becomes possible to do.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the image forming unit may form a non-image forming area in which no image is formed between the images in the width direction on the recording medium when priority is given to the image quality formed on the recording medium. As described above, the formation mode of each image is changed.

  According to the present invention, even in a regular recording medium, a non-image forming region is formed between the images in the width direction of the recording medium only by changing the formation mode of each image on the recording medium. For this reason, even if a deviation occurs in the dividing position when the recording medium on which a plurality of images are formed is divided for each image, it is possible to prevent other images from entering each image.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the image forming unit may be arranged on the recording medium such that both end portions of the images formed on the recording medium are aligned with each other in the width direction of the recording medium. The formation mode of each image is changed.

  According to the present invention, since both ends of each image in the recording medium conveyance direction are aligned with each other in the width direction of the recording medium, even when a long recording medium is used, the recording medium can be easily arranged in the conveyance direction for each image. It becomes possible to divide into two.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, in the conveyance path of the recording medium, the image pairing unit causes the two images having similarity in visual characteristics at a boundary portion between the two images. When two image data corresponding to an image are paired, the images are formed by the image forming unit, and the orientations of the images of the recording media divided by the dividing unit for each image are matched. Aligning means is provided.

  According to the present invention, even when the orientation of the image on each recording medium is disturbed by pairing, it is possible to align these orientations by the aligning means.

1 is a schematic plan view of a printing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1. The side surface schematic diagram of the conveying apparatus of the printing system. The plane schematic diagram of the conveyance apparatus. FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the alignment apparatus of the printing system according to the embodiment. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the printing system. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an image processing routine executed by the control unit of the printing system. (A)-(d) is a schematic diagram which shows the formation aspect of the image on cut paper. (A) is a schematic plan view showing a state when printing is performed by rotating each image 90 degrees so that a margin is formed between the images on the roll paper, and (b) is each image on the roll paper. The plane schematic diagram which shows a state when printing each image in 2 rows so that a margin may be formed in between.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which an image forming apparatus of the present invention is embodied in a printing system will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, when referring to “front-rear direction”, “left-right direction”, and “up-down direction”, the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction indicated by arrows in the drawings are respectively shown. In addition, in the arrows indicating the upward, rightward and forward directions in the drawings, those marked with “•” in “○” (viewed from the front of the arrow) are displayed from the back of the page. It means an arrow heading, and “X” in “○” (a view of the arrow blades from the back) means an arrow heading from the front to the back of the page.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a printing system 11 as an image forming apparatus includes an ink jet printer 12, a transport device 13 that transports a cut sheet CP as a recording medium printed and discharged by the ink jet printer 12, An alignment device 90 as alignment means for aligning the orientation and order of the cut sheets CP conveyed by the conveyance device 13, and a classification for sequentially receiving and sorting and supporting the cut sheets CP aligned and conveyed by the alignment device 90 Device 14.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink jet printer 12 includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped main body case 15 having a paper discharge port 15 a on the upper portion of the rear wall. A roll paper RP serving as a recording medium supported by the rotary shaft 16 extending in the left-right direction so as to rotate integrally with the rotary shaft 16 is disposed at the lower front side in the main body case 15.

  In this case, the roll paper RP has a fixed shape, that is, a roll having a fixed width (12 inches in this embodiment). When the rotating shaft 16 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 2, the roll paper RP is unwound and is drawn upward.

  In the upper part of the main body case 15, a transport mechanism 17 is provided as a transport unit that guides the roll paper RP fed from the rotary shaft 16 toward the paper discharge port 15 a. The transport mechanism 17 transports the unrolled roll paper RP along a first direction (rear direction) that is a direction from the upstream side (front side) to the downstream side (rear side) along the transport path. Transport drive rollers 20 to 24 and a plurality of transport driven rollers 30, 31, 32, 34 that sandwich the roll paper RP unrolled between the transport drive rollers 20, 21, 22, 24. I have.

  That is, the transport driving rollers 20, 21, 22, 24 and the transport driven rollers 30, 31, 32, 34 are arranged at positions facing each other across the transport path of the unrolled roll paper RP. ing.

  Between the respective transport drive rollers 21 and 22 in the transport path of the roll paper RP, a support base 40 that supports the unrolled roll paper RP from below is disposed. A plurality of suction holes (not shown) are opened on the upper surface of the support base 40, and a suction mechanism 41 for sucking the roll paper RP through the suction holes is provided inside the support base 40. Therefore, the roll paper RP supported by the support table 40 is adsorbed on the upper surface of the support table 40 by the suction force of the suction mechanism 41.

  A recording unit 42 is provided at a position facing the support table 40 across the conveyance path of the roll paper RP. The recording unit 42 is supported in the main body case 15 so as to extend in the left-right direction (a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the roll paper RP by the conveyance mechanism 17), and to be able to reciprocate on the guide shaft 43. And a recording head 45 as an image forming unit supported on the lower surface of the carriage 44.

  A plurality of nozzles 46 for ejecting ink as a liquid are opened on the lower surface of the recording head 45. Then, while reciprocating the carriage 44 along the guide shaft 43, ink is ejected from each nozzle 46 of the recording head 45 to the roll paper RP supported on the upper surface of the support base 40, thereby forming the roll paper RP. An image is formed (printed).

  In this case, the roll paper RP includes a plurality (two in this embodiment) of images G1 and G2 along the width direction of the roll paper RP (the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the roll paper RP by the transport mechanism 17). It is formed so as to be continuously adjacent to the full width. In the present embodiment, each of the images G1 and G2 has a length in the width direction (left-right direction) of the roll paper RP of 6 inches, and a length in the transport direction (front-rear direction) of the roll paper RP by the transport mechanism 17 is 4. It has a rectangular shape that is inches.

  Further, the printing of the roll paper RP by the recording head 45 is started from the right side. That is, the right side of the roll paper RP is the printing start position side. A first paper edge sensor 47 for detecting the positions of both ends of the roll paper RP in the width direction is supported on the rear side surface of the carriage 44.

  In a position corresponding to the transport driving roller 22 and the transport driven roller 32 in the main body case 15, a flat transport path forming member 48 that forms a part of the transport path of the roll paper RP is disposed. The roll paper RP is divided between the transport path forming member 48 and the support base 40 in the transport path of the roll paper RP by dividing an image forming area in which the images G1 and G2 are formed on the roll paper RP. Is provided with a first dividing mechanism 49 for forming a printed cut sheet CP on which the images G1 and G2 are formed. The first cutting mechanism 49 cuts the roll paper RP along the left-right direction orthogonal to the first direction.

  In addition, a curl correction mechanism 50 for correcting curling (curling) of the cut sheet CP is provided between the transport path forming member 48 and the paper discharge outlet 15a in the main body case 15. The curl correction mechanism 50 includes the transport driving rollers 23 and 24 and the transport driven roller 34.

  The conveyance driven roller 34 is driven to rotate along with the conveyance of the cut sheet CP when the cut sheet CP is sandwiched by the conveyance drive roller 24 and bends the cut sheet CP with the conveyance drive roller 23. The curl of the cut sheet CP is corrected.

  In this case, the transport driving roller 23 is disposed on the upstream side of the transport driving roller 24 in the transport path of the cut paper CP, transports the cut paper CP toward the transport drive roller 24, and the cut paper CP is bent. Sometimes, the upstream side of the bent portion of the cut sheet CP is supported. Then, the cut sheets CP whose curls have been corrected by the curl correction mechanism 50 are sequentially discharged from the discharge port 15a to the transport device 13.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the transport device 13 directs the cut sheet CP discharged from the discharge port 15a of the ink jet printer 12 from the upstream side (left side) to the downstream side (right side) in the transport direction. Transport. That is, the transport device 13 transports the cut sheet CP to the aligning device 90 along a second direction (right direction) that is a direction orthogonal to the first direction that is the transport direction of the roll paper RP by the transport mechanism 17. In this case, the transport device 13 transports the cut sheet CP so that the right end side, which is the printing paper start position side of the roll paper RP, is the downstream end section side of the cut sheet CP.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the transport device 13 is disposed at a position lower than the paper discharge outlet 15 a, and includes a base 51, a transport unit 52 disposed on the base 51, and the base And a cutting unit 53 disposed on the downstream side (right side) of the transport unit 52 on the head 51. Accordingly, there is a step between the transport path of the roll paper RP and the cut paper CP by the transport mechanism 17 and the transport path of the cut paper CP by the transport device 13.

  The transport unit 52 is configured to be rotatable about an axis extending in the front-rear direction, and is arranged to be paired with a gap in the left-right direction, and each of the rollers 54. , 55 and an endless conveyor belt 56 wound around the outside.

  Therefore, when the belt driving roller 54 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 3, the conveyor belt 56 rotates around the rollers 54 and 55 counterclockwise, and is discharged from the paper discharge port 15a onto the conveyor belt 56. The cut paper CP (dropped) is conveyed to the dividing unit 53.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the dividing unit 53 includes a case 57, and four rollers that convey the cut sheet CP conveyed from the conveying unit 52 to the aligning device 90 while sandwiching the cut sheet CP in the case 57. The pairs 58 to 61 are arranged at appropriate intervals in the left-right direction. Each of the roller pairs 58 to 61 is a first roller pair 58, a second roller pair 59, a third roller pair 60, and a fourth roller pair 61 in order from the upstream left side to the downstream right side. .

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the roller pairs 58 to 61 is disposed on the lower side of each of the driving rollers 58 a to 61 a and on the upper side of each of the driving rollers, and the driving rollers 58 a to 61 a Each driven roller 58b to 61b that rotates following rotation is provided.

  Further, the driven rollers 58b and 59b hold the cut paper CP between the driving rollers 58a and 59a, and the driven rollers 58a and 59a are separated from the driving rollers 58a and 59a. It is configured to be movable between a non-clamping position that is not clamped. A rotary encoder 62 that detects the amount of rotation of the drive roller 59a is attached to the rotation shaft of the drive roller 59a in the second roller pair 59.

  On the upstream side of the first roller pair 58, between each of the roller pairs 58 to 61, and on the downstream side of the fourth roller pair 61, a conveyance path for the cut paper CP is formed, and support for supporting the cut paper CP from below is formed. A plate 63 is appropriately arranged. Between each roller pair 59, 60, a second dividing mechanism 64 is provided as a dividing unit that divides the cut sheet CP conveyed along the second direction for each image along the second direction. Yes. The second dividing mechanism 64 cuts the cut sheet CP into the image G1 and the image G2 along the front-rear direction orthogonal to the second direction.

  In addition, a second paper edge sensor 65 that detects the front end (downstream end) position of the cut paper CP conveyed along the second direction is disposed between the second dividing mechanism 64 and the second roller pair 59. ing. Further, a guide plate 66 that guides the front end side of the cut sheet CP that is transported along the second direction is provided on the front end side (the transport mechanism 17 side in FIG. 2) in the transport path of the cut sheet CP in the case 57. Has been placed. The guide plate 66 extends from the left end portion in the case 57 to a position corresponding to the second paper end sensor 65 in the front-rear direction. The left end portion of the guide plate 66 is bent obliquely toward the front side.

  In addition, a pressing member 67 that presses the cut sheet CP conveyed along the second direction forward is moved in the front-rear direction at a position facing the guide plate 66 in the front-rear direction at the rear end portion in the case 57. Arranged to be possible. The pressing member 67 is arranged below the second roller pair 59 and extends straight so as to straddle the second roller pair 59 in the left-right direction.

  The left and right ends of the pressing member 67 are bent at right angles toward the upper side. At the upper ends of the bent portions at the left and right end portions of the pressing member 67, pressing pins 67a that extend straight upward are provided.

  Then, after the cut sheet CP is nipped by the roller pairs 58 and 59 and stopped, the pressing member 67 is moved forward while the driven rollers 58b and 59b are moved to the non-nipping positions. The cut sheet CP engages with each pressing pin 67a and is pressed forward. As a result, the front end of the cut sheet CP (the upstream end in the transport direction of the roll paper RP by the transport mechanism 17) is in contact with the rear surface 66a of the guide plate 66, so that the cut is inclined with respect to the second direction. The posture of the cut sheet CP is corrected so that the sheet CP is parallel to the second direction.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the aligning device 90 receives a cut sheet CP after being cut from the cutting unit 53 and stores the cut paper CP one by one, and a lifting / lowering rotation that supports the storage 91. And a mechanism 92. The up-and-down rotation mechanism 92 can move the storage unit 91 up and down and rotate it around an axis extending in the vertical direction. The storage unit 91 includes a rectangular parallelepiped storage case 91a that is open on both right and left sides, and a plurality of transport shelves 93 that are arranged in the storage case 91a at equal intervals in the vertical direction.

  The transport shelf 93 is configured to be rotatable around an axis extending in the front-rear direction, and is arranged to be paired with an interval in the left-right direction, and each of the rollers 93a. , 93b and an endless conveyor belt 93c wound around the outside. Accordingly, when the belt driving roller 93a rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 5, the conveyor belt 93c moves around the rollers 93a and 93b counterclockwise so that it is conveyed from the dividing unit 53 onto the conveyor belt 93c. The cut sheet CP after the division is conveyed to the sorting device 14.

Next, the electrical configuration of the printing system 11 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 6, the printing system 11 is connected to a control unit 70 that comprehensively controls the operating state of the printing system 11 and a memory card (not shown) that stores image data corresponding to a plurality of images. A memory card interface 71, and an operation unit 72 that allows the user to input the resolution and the number of prints of the images G1 and G2 to be printed on the roll paper RP.

  The operation unit 72 has a display screen for confirmation when the user performs various operations, and any one of the three printing modes of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode is determined by the user's operation. Can be selected. In this respect, the operation unit 72 functions as a selection unit.

  When the first mode is selected by the user, the control unit 70 performs only the correction process among the correction process and the pairing process described later on the image data to be printed. In this respect, the control unit 70 functions as an image correction unit. When the user selects the second mode, the control unit 70 performs only the pairing process among the correction process and the pairing process on the image data to be printed. In this respect, the control unit 70 functions as image pairing means. When the user selects the third mode, the control unit 70 performs both correction processing and pairing processing on the image data to be printed.

  In the correction process, for each of two adjacent images in a plurality of images formed so as to be adjacent to each other in the width direction of the roll paper RP, continuity is formed in the visual feature at the boundary portion between the two images. The two image data corresponding to the two images are corrected. Specifically, in the correction process, gradation processing is performed in the vicinity of the boundary portion between two image data corresponding to two adjacent images.

  In this gradation processing, the image processing is performed so that the images near the boundary portions of the two image data gradually approach each other's color toward each other's image data. For example, when one base color of the images near the boundary portions of the two image data is red and the other base color is blue, the colors near the boundary portions of the two image data are red and blue. It becomes a purple color that is a mixed color.

  In the pairing process, the two adjacent images in the plurality of images formed so as to be adjacent to each other in the width direction of the roll paper RP are similar in visual characteristics at the boundary portion between the two images. Two image data corresponding to an image are paired (combined). Specifically, the pairing process is performed based on the color difference in the vicinity of the boundary portion between two image data corresponding to two adjacent images.

  That is, in the pairing process, each image data is paired two by two so that the color difference near the boundary is as small as possible during printing of one job. In this case, the pairing is performed in consideration of the case where the top and bottom are reversed between the two image data (the directions are different by 180 degrees). Then, for example, when one job prints 10 sheets, five image data pairs are formed, and the color difference in the vicinity of each boundary portion of these five image data pairs is minimized as a whole. Paired.

  The control unit 70 is provided on the memory card interface 71, the operation unit 72, the rotary encoder 62, the first paper end sensor 47, the second paper end sensor 65, and the carriage 44, and detects the amount of movement of the carriage 44. The first dividing mechanism 49 and the second dividing mechanism 64 are electrically connected to each other.

  Further, the control unit 70 moves the recording head 45, the sorting device 14, the suction mechanism 41, the roller actuator 74 that moves the driven rollers 58b and 59b between the clamping position and the non-clamping position, and the pressing member 67 in the front-rear direction. The pressing actuator 75 and the lifting / lowering rotating mechanism 92 are electrically connected to each other.

  Further, the control unit 70 includes an upstream roller motor 77 that rotationally drives the roller pairs 58 and 59, a downstream roller motor 78 that rotationally drives the roller pairs 60 and 61, and the carriage 44 via the motor driver 76. Each is electrically connected to a carriage motor 79 as a drive source for moving in the left-right direction.

  Furthermore, the control unit 70 rotationally drives the rotation motor 80 that rotationally drives the rotation shaft 16, the conveyance motor 81 that rotationally drives each of the conveyance driving rollers 20 to 24, and the belt driving roller 54 via the motor driver 76. The belt motor 82 and each belt conveyance motor 94 that rotationally drives each belt driving roller 93a are electrically connected to each other.

  Then, based on the signals transmitted from the operation unit 72, the encoders 62 and 73, and the sensors 47 and 65, the control unit 70, the dividing mechanisms 49 and 64, the actuators 74 and 75, the recording head 45, the sorting, The driving of the apparatus 14, the suction mechanism 41, and the lifting / lowering rotating mechanism 92 is controlled, and the driving of the motors 77 to 82 and 94 is controlled via the motor driver 76.

  Further, as the carriage 44 moves, the control unit 70 outputs a pulse signal from the linear encoder 73 until the first end of the roll paper RP is detected by the first paper end sensor 47 until the left end of the roll paper RP is detected. By counting and calculating the amount of movement of the carriage 44, the width of the roll paper RP (cut paper CP) in the left-right direction is grasped.

  In addition, when the leading edge of the cut sheet CP is detected by the second sheet edge sensor 65, the control unit 70 resets the signal from the rotary encoder 62. Thereafter, the control unit 70 counts the pulse signal from the rotary encoder 62 and calculates the rotation amount of the driving roller 59a of the second roller pair 59, thereby grasping the leading end position of the cut sheet CP.

  In addition, the control unit 70 includes a storage unit 83 that includes a ROM, a RAM, a nonvolatile memory, and the like. The storage unit 83 stores information such as the number of prints input from the operation unit 72, image data read from a memory card (not shown), various control programs, and the like.

  In this case, the control unit 70 functions as an image data acquisition unit in order to acquire image data corresponding to a plurality of images from a memory card (not shown) via the memory card interface 71. Then, the control unit 70 divides the cut paper CP by the second cutting mechanism 64 based on the width in the left-right direction of the roll paper RP and the resolution (size) of the images G1 and G2 printed on the roll paper RP. To decide.

Next, an image processing routine executed by the control unit 70 when the user selects a print mode will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG.
When the operation signal based on the print mode selection operation on the operation unit 72 is input, the control unit 70 determines whether or not it is the first mode (step S1). If the determination result in step S1 is affirmative, the control unit 70 performs correction processing on the acquired image data (step S2). Thereafter, the control unit 70 ends the image processing routine. On the other hand, when the determination result of step S1 is negative, the control unit 70 determines whether or not the mode is the second mode (step S3).

  If the determination result in step S3 is affirmative, the control unit 70 performs pairing processing on the acquired image data (step S4). Thereafter, the control unit 70 ends the image processing routine. On the other hand, when the determination result of step S3 is negative, the control unit 70 performs pairing processing on the acquired image data (step S5). Subsequently, the control unit 70 performs a correction process on the image data that has been subjected to the pairing process in step S5 (step S6). Thereafter, the control unit 70 ends the image processing routine.

Next, the operation of the printing system 11 will be described.
First, in the present embodiment, when images G1 to G10 corresponding to 10 pieces (5 pairs) of image data are printed so as to be adjacent to the roll paper RP by two in the width direction (left and right direction). Will be described. Note that the image G1 is the first image, the image G2 is the second image,..., And the image G10 is the tenth image.

(When printing in the third mode)
When printing the roll paper RP in the third mode, first, the user operates the operation unit 72 in a state where the regular roll paper RP is set, and the third mode is selected from the three print modes. Select. Then, the rotating shaft 16 and the respective transport driving rollers 20 to 24 are rotationally driven, and the roll paper RP is unrolled and transported from the upstream side to the downstream side of the transport path. Then, when the leading end of the unrolled roll paper RP reaches the support base 40, the conveyance of the roll paper RP is stopped. That is, cueing of the roll paper RP is performed.

  Subsequently, when the suction mechanism 41 is driven, a portion of the roll paper RP located on the upper surface of the support table 40 is adsorbed on the upper surface of the support table 40 by the suction force of the suction mechanism 41. Subsequently, ink is ejected from each nozzle 46 of the recording head 45 to the roll paper RP on the support base 40 while reciprocating the carriage 44 in the left-right direction, and the roll paper RP is moved downstream in the first direction. By intermittently conveying, printing is performed on the roll paper RP.

  That is, ten images G <b> 1 to G <b> 10 are formed as two pairs on the roll paper RP so as to be adjacent to each other in the width direction (left-right direction). That is, two sets of images in the width direction of the roll paper RP are sequentially formed along the conveyance direction of the roll paper RP. At this time, each image data corresponding to two images is subjected to pairing processing and correction processing before printing. For this reason, the boundary portion between two images is blurred.

  In this case, in the pairing process, for example, as shown in FIG. 8A, the directions of the images G1 and G2 are reversed, or as shown in FIG. The image G1 and the fourth image G4 are paired. Further, when the correction process is further performed after the pairing process, for example, as shown in FIG. 8D, the neighboring regions R1, R8 of the boundary portion K in the paired images G1, G8 A gradation is formed so that the base colors gradually approach each other.

  Further, the printing of the roll paper RP is started from the right end side. That is, the right end side of the roll paper RP is the printing start position side. At this time, as the carriage 44 reciprocates during printing of the roll paper RP, both end positions in the width direction (left and right direction) of the roll paper RP are detected by the first paper edge sensor 47, whereby the width of the roll paper RP. Is calculated.

  Subsequently, the roll paper RP on which each image is formed is conveyed downstream along the first direction. When the front end (upstream end) of each image on the roll paper RP reaches a position corresponding to the first dividing mechanism 49, the roll paper RP is stopped, and each image portion on the roll paper RP is divided into two first dividing mechanisms. 49 is sequentially divided.

  Then, the cut sheet CP on which each image is formed while being separated from the roll paper RP by the first dividing mechanism 49 is conveyed downstream along the first direction, and then is discharged from the discharge port 15a to the conveyance unit 52. The paper is discharged so as to fall on the conveyor belt 56. At this time, the cut sheet CP that has fallen on the conveyance belt 56 is inclined with respect to the second direction (right direction) due to the impact of the drop.

  Subsequently, the cut sheet CP is conveyed to the dividing unit 53 along the second direction by the conveying belt 56 while being inclined obliquely with respect to the second direction. The cut sheet CP transported from the transport belt 56 to the dividing unit 53 is sequentially transported along the second direction by the first roller pair 58 and the second roller pair 59. Then, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4, when the right end of the cut sheet CP in an inclined state with respect to the second direction is detected by the second sheet end sensor 65, the cut sheet CP is stopped. The

  Subsequently, after each driven roller 58b, 59b in each roller pair 58, 59 is moved from the nipping position to the non-nipping position, the pressing member 67 is moved forward. Thus, the cut sheet CP is pressed forward while being engaged with each pressing pin 67a. When the front end of the cut sheet CP (the upstream end in the transport direction of the roll paper RP by the transport mechanism 17) comes into contact with the rear surface 66a of the guide plate 66, as shown by the solid line in FIG. The posture of the cut sheet CP is corrected so that the cut sheet CP inclined with respect to the second direction is parallel to the second direction.

  Subsequently, each driven roller 58b, 59b in each roller pair 58, 59 is moved from the non-clamping position to the clamping position, and the pressing member 67 is returned to the original position where it does not engage with the cut sheet CP. Subsequently, the cut sheet CP is conveyed in the left direction opposite to the second direction until the right end of the cut sheet CP whose posture is corrected by the roller pairs 58 and 59 comes to the left of the second sheet end sensor 65. Has been stopped.

  Subsequently, the cut paper CP is conveyed again in the second direction by the roller pairs 58 and 59. Then, when the right end of the cut sheet CP is detected again by the second sheet end sensor 65, by adjusting the transport amount of the cut sheet CP in the second direction on the basis of the position of the cut sheet CP at this time, The dividing position of the cut sheet CP (the boundary portion K between the images in a set of two) is aligned with the second dividing mechanism 64.

  Subsequently, the cut sheet CP is divided by the second dividing mechanism 64 at the dividing position (the boundary portion K between the two images) so that one image in a group of two sheets becomes two images. Is done. At this time, even if a slight error occurs in the dividing position, the boundary portion K between the two images is blurred by the pairing process and the correction process. Is reduced.

  Then, the cut sheet CP divided into two images at the dividing position by the second dividing mechanism 64 is sequentially conveyed to the aligning device 90 by the third roller pair 60 and the fourth roller pair 61. At this time, the cut sheets CP on which the images divided by the second dividing mechanism 64 are formed one by one are in a state in which their orientation and order are disturbed when the pairing process is performed. 90 aligns these perturbations.

  In this case, in the aligning device 90, the orientations of the ten cut sheets CP on which the images G1 to G10 conveyed from the dividing unit 53 are formed one by one are aligned and the images G1 to G10 are arranged in order. Each cut sheet CP is temporarily stored on the transport shelf 93 one by one. That is, the storage unit 91 is appropriately moved up and down and rotated so that the directions from the cut sheet CP on which the image G1 is formed to the cut sheet CP on which the image G10 is formed are aligned on each transport shelf 93. Are temporarily stored one by one.

  Then, by appropriately raising and lowering the storage unit 91, each of the cut sheets CP temporarily stored on the respective transport shelves 93 is sequentially sorted from the one on which the image G1 is formed to the one on which the image G10 is formed. It is conveyed to. Each cut sheet CP conveyed to the sorting device 14 is then sequentially received by the sorting device 14 and supported in a properly sorted state.

(When printing in the second mode)
When the second mode is selected from the three print modes, only the pairing process is performed without performing the correction process on each image data when printing in the third mode described above. Other than that, the processing is the same as in the case of printing in the third mode.

(When printing in the first mode)
When the first mode is selected from the three print modes, only the correction process is performed without performing the pairing process on each image data when printing in the third mode described above. In this case, since the pairing process is not performed, the images G1 to G10 are paired in the same direction in order, such as images G1, G2, images G3, G4, images G5, G6,. .

  Then, as shown in FIG. 8C, in the neighboring regions R1 and R2 of the boundary portion K in the paired images G1 and G2, the base colors gradually approach each other's base color. A gradation is formed. Similarly, gradations are also formed in the neighboring areas of the boundary portion K in all the paired images.

  In the first mode, since the pairing process is not performed, the order and the orientation of the cut sheets CP on which the images G1 to G10 are printed one by one are not disturbed. Therefore, when these cut sheets CP are conveyed from the dividing unit 53 to the aligning device 90, they are immediately sequentially conveyed to the sorting device 14 without being temporarily stored by the aligning device 90. Therefore, in the first mode, the processing speed of the printing system 11 is faster than in the second mode and the third mode. Conversely, in the first mode, since the pairing process is not performed, the image quality is inferior compared to the second mode and the third mode.

As described above, according to the embodiment described in detail, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The printing system 11 includes a correction process and a pairing process in the boundary portion K for each of two images formed so as to be adjacent to the regular roll paper RP having a constant width in the width direction. At least one of the processes can be performed. For this reason, it is not necessary to prepare roll paper RP having a plurality of types of widths, and the boundary portion K between two adjacent images can be suitably blurred. Accordingly, a regular roll paper RP can be used, and the two images are formed adjacent to each other in the width direction on the roll paper RP, and when the images are divided for each image, the visual for each image is generated The influence can be reduced.

  (2) Since the printing system 11 can select one of the three printing modes of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode by the user, priority is given to the image quality for the convenience of the user. The processing speed of the printing system 11 can be prioritized.

(3) Since the printing system 11 includes the aligning device 90, even if the orientation and the order of the images of the cut sheets CP after the division are performed by performing the pairing process of the image data, The orientation and order of the images on the cut sheet CP can be aligned by the alignment device 90.
(Example of change)
The above embodiment may be changed to another embodiment as described below.

  As shown in FIG. 9A, in the printing system 11, when priority is given to the image quality formed on the roll paper RP, between the images G1 and G2 on the roll paper RP, and between the images G1 and G2 and the roll The recording head 45 causes the images G1 and G2 to be 90 degrees with respect to the roll paper RP so that a margin Y, which is a non-image forming area where no image is formed, is formed between the left and right ends of the paper RP. You may make it form in the rotated state. That is, the images G1 and G2 may be formed on the roll paper RP so that the short sides of the images G1 and G2 are parallel to the width direction of the roll paper RP. In this way, even if the regular roll paper RP is used, the margin Y between the images G1 and G2 in the width direction and between the images G1 and G2 and the left and right ends of the roll paper RP in the width direction. Can be easily formed. For this reason, even if a deviation occurs in the dividing position when the cut sheet CP on which the images G1 and G2 are formed is divided by the second dividing mechanism 64 for each of the images G1 and G2, one of the images G1 and G2 is separated. It is possible to suppress the other image from entering the image.

  In this case, in order to form the margin Y between the images G1 and G2 on the roll paper RP and between the images G1 and G2 and the left and right ends of the roll paper RP, In contrast, at least one of the images G1 and G2 may be formed in a state rotated by 90 degrees. That is, you may make it form in the state which rotated either 90 degrees of each image G1, G2 with respect to the roll paper RP. However, in the case shown in FIG. 9A described above, both the images G1 and G2 are formed on the roll paper RP in a state in which both the images G1 and G2 are rotated by 90 degrees, so that the roll paper RP in the transport direction (rear direction) Both ends of the images G1 and G2 are aligned with each other in the width direction of the roll paper RP. For this reason, the roll paper RP can be easily divided in the transport direction for each of the images G1 and G2 by the first dividing mechanism 49. Incidentally, when one of the images G1 and G2 is rotated 90 degrees with respect to the roll paper RP, both ends of the images G1 and G2 are shifted from each other in the width direction of the roll paper RP. Therefore, it becomes difficult for the first cutting mechanism 49 to cut the roll paper RP in the transport direction for each of the images G1 and G2.

  When the recording head 45 prints three square images G1, G2, G3 adjacent to each other in the width direction with respect to the roll paper RP, the images G1, G2, G3 are rotated by 90 degrees. Even if printing is performed, a margin Y cannot be formed between the images G1, G2, and G3 in the width direction of the roll paper RP. Therefore, when each image G1, G2, G3 is square, in order to form the margin Y on both sides of the roll paper RP in the width direction of each image G1, G2, G3, as shown in FIG. Each image G1, G2, G3 may be divided into two images G1, G2 and one image G3 and printed so as to form two rows in the transport direction of the roll paper RP.

In the printing system 11, the alignment device 90 may be omitted.
The printing system 11 does not necessarily need to be able to select the print mode from the first to third modes, but may be able to select only one of the first to third modes. Good.

  The recording head 45 may print three or more images in parallel so as to be adjacent to each other in the width direction (left-right direction) with respect to the roll paper RP (cut paper CP). Also in this case, the cut sheet CP is divided for each image at the boundary between the images by the second dividing mechanism 64.

A sheet may be used as a recording medium instead of the roll paper RP.
-Instead of the roll paper RP, a roll-shaped plastic film or cloth, or a roll-shaped metal foil may be used as the recording medium.

  In the above embodiment, the recording apparatus is embodied in the printing system 11, but a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects or ejects liquid other than ink may be employed. The present invention can be used for various liquid ejecting apparatuses including a liquid ejecting head that ejects a minute amount of liquid droplets. 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 liquids as one state of the substance, as well as particles in which functional material particles made of solid materials such as pigments and 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, or a color filter in a dispersed or dissolved form. 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 addition, transparent resin liquids such as UV curable resin to form liquid injection devices that pinpoint lubricant oil onto precision machines such as watches and cameras, and micro hemispherical lenses (optical lenses) used in optical communication elements. A liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a liquid onto the substrate or a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects an etching solution such as an acid or an alkali to etch the substrate may be employed. The present invention can be applied to any one of these liquid ejecting apparatuses.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Printing system as image forming apparatus, 17 ... Conveying mechanism as conveying means, 45 ... Recording head as image forming means, 64 ... Second dividing mechanism as dividing means, 70 ... Image data acquisition means, Image correcting means , And a control unit as an image pairing unit, 72... An operation unit as a selection unit, 90... An alignment device as an alignment unit, G1 to G10. ... roll paper as recording medium, Y ... margin as non-image forming area.

Claims (5)

Image data acquisition means for acquiring image data corresponding to a plurality of images;
Based on the image data acquired by the image data acquisition unit, adjacent to each other in a plurality of images formed so as to be adjacent in a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction with respect to a regular recording medium conveyed by the conveyance unit. For each of the two images, correction processing is performed to correct at least one of the two image data corresponding to the two images so that continuity is formed in the visual feature at the boundary between the two images. Image correction means capable of
For each of the two images, an image pair capable of performing a pairing process for pairing two image data corresponding to the two images having similarity in visual characteristics at a boundary portion between the two images Ring means;
Image forming means for forming each image on the recording medium based on each image data on which at least one of the correction processing and the pairing processing has been performed;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a dividing unit that divides the recording medium on which the respective images are formed by the image forming unit for each image.   A first mode in which the correction processing is performed on the image data, a second mode in which the pairing processing is performed on the image data, and the correction processing and the pairing processing on the image data. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a selection unit capable of selecting one of the third modes in which both are performed.   The image forming unit is configured to form a non-image forming area in which no image is formed between the images in the width direction of the recording medium when priority is given to the image quality formed on the recording medium. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a forming mode is changed.   The image forming unit changes the formation mode of the images on the recording medium such that both end portions of the images formed on the recording medium are aligned with each other in the width direction of the recording medium. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3.   In the conveyance path of the recording medium, two image data corresponding to the two images having similarity in visual characteristics at the boundary portion of the two images for each of the two images by the image pairing unit. When the images are paired with each other, there is provided an aligning unit that aligns the orientation of the images of the recording media that are formed by the image forming unit and divided for each image by the dividing unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus.

Images